BATON ROUGE (WGNO) – Lawmakers have approved major changes to the TOPS program. If Gov. John Bel Edwards signs the bill, families and students will have to pay out of pocket when tuition increases.
The Advocate reports that current rules increase the amount of TOPS awards as tuition increases. But the bill, authored by Mandeville Republican state Sen. Jack Donahue, will lock in the 2016-21017 school year scholarship amounts.
That means students will be on the hook if tuition increases. Tuition has steadily increased at most public Louisiana colleges and universities over the past several years.
The state Senate unanimously approved the TOPS changes. The measure cleared the House with a 74-20 vote.
Supporters of the bill, which include the Taylor Foundation that started the TOPS scholarship fund, said the bill is necessary to stabilize the cost of the program and ensure its long-term viability.
Read more from The Advocate here.